your current and expected inventory needs. ![]() While narrow aisle and VNA configurations have many pluses, it’s important to evaluate the cost/benefit vs. VNA vehicles can require additional maintenance vs.VNA operators require additional Safety Training and Certification.VNA trucks are limited to use within the guidance system.Aisle accessibility is limited to one VNA at a time.VNA design is not scalable – only one truck operates per aisle.VNA trucks can cost nearly double that of standard reach trucks.A guidance system is required for VNA vehicles however, the guidance reduces rack damage caused by standard lift trucks.Some benefits over standard lift vehicles include extended lift heights, picking at all levels, and lifting to the pick level during travel which can speed up activity. However, the VNA turret trucks are marginally slower. VNA trucks operate in a straight or diagonal line via a rail or wire guidance system, which maneuvers the vehicle in and out of the aisle, thus eliminating the risk of forklift rack strikes. Options include man-up turret trucks (short racking <22’), man-down turret trucks (up to 40’ tall), and guided high-level order pickers. VNA – requires specialized lift equipment. Narrow Aisle – accessed via standard forklifts and narrow aisle reach trucks, depending on the aisle width. The narrow and VNA aisle design maximizes picking efficiency however, you must assess the cost/benefit of adding specialized equipment, safety features, and an extra processing step or two to your evaluation. An additional design consideration is the required staging area at the end of the aisle.īoth narrow aisle and VNA designs are well suited for high SKU, slow-moving inventory, and high-volume case or goods picking from pallets. However, the VNA lift trucks remain in the aisle, requiring additional forklifts or pallet movers to stage and transport picked pallets to shipping. These vehicles move swiftly up and down the aisle and allow for case pick access to very tall racking levels. The more confined, very narrow aisle (VNA ) systems are accessed exclusively by specialty lift equipment working off a guidance system. ![]() One note, however, is that you may have to add safety equipment such as gates, guards, or rails to ensure pedestrian safety within the work area. However, if you need to free up space, a narrow aisle warehouse design is likely less expensive than moving or acquiring additional space.Ī narrow aisle design allows you to increase capacity without sacrificing warehouse space… and the rack is accessed by standard forklift equipment. Standard aisles are most efficient where you need room for multiple workers and or forklifts to access inventory. Specialized + standard equipment, even more free space, may slow processing Standard equipment, gain free space, may require safety features There are significant cost considerations to examine before you jump ahead.įor our comparison, we will assume the same pallet racking application for all three systems in this case, the rack provides 100% SKU selectivity and first-in/first-out (FIFO) or first-in/last-out (FILO) inventory rotation. Seeing these benefits may have you thinking, “Let’s slide those racks closer and get more space!” But narrow aisle design isn’t economical for every application.
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